What a coincidence indeed.
Taylor understood Camilla’s implication perfectly.
Leaning back on the sofa, his brows relaxed and his expression remained calm.
Who would’ve thought the gossip would circle back to bite him?
And there was still that high-maintenance one waiting outside!
Amid the heavy silence, Matvey’s heart sank deeper and deeper, his anxiety nearly making him combust on the spot.
For the first time, he truly grasped the meaning of being caught between a rock and a hard place.
"...President Luther?"
Sinclair lifted his gaze, his voice icy.
The overture to reconciliation was unmistakable.
Matvey exhaled in relief and quickly responded, "Don’t worry, President Luther.
President Harrison was just a bit shaken, but
Before he could finish, Kai’s voice cut in abruptly.
Matvey glanced at Sinclair, then at Kai.
Wait a minute—was this guy asking about his own subordinate, not President Harrison?!
"Good," Sinclair narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze fixed on the door.
Not letting President Harrison in would be risky.
But letting him in felt even riskier. Matvey swallowed hard.
Business was tough, but dealing with people was tougher.
Since President Taylor had already said to follow Sinclair’s lead, he naturally had to obey now.
"Understood," Kai nodded and immediately stepped out.
Outside the private room.
Juliet stared at the closed door, a flicker of impatience flashing in her eyes.
"Harrison, it seems they’re not willing to negotiate.
Why don’t we just leave instead of waiting around?"
Harrison’s patience had also worn thin.
Clutching Juliet’s hand, he strode straight toward the private room.
"I want to see just who this man is, daring to put on such airs with me."
Just then, the door swung open from inside, and Kai stepped out.
Taking in Harrison’s aggressive stance, he instantly understood the man’s intentions.
A cold sneer rose in his heart, though his expression remained unreadable.
"No need to force your way in, sir.
My employer has invited you inside."
"Well, well," Harrison said as he passed Kai, his gaze icy and dark, brimming with suppressed fury.
"Your employer clearly has better manners than you."
Kai kept his head lowered, offering no response.
Harrison didn’t press further, pulling Juliet along as he marched into the room.
After a brief hesitation, Queen decided to follow.
As she reached Kai, she paused and spoke in a hushed voice.
"Harrison holds grudges like a hawk.
Be careful during your stay in Country E—watch your back."
Kai hadn’t expected this woman to warn him. A flicker of surprise crossed his eyes before he nodded with a faint smile.
Thanks for the heads-up."
Queen didn’t say anything more and followed Harrison and Juliet into the private room.
Camilla narrowed her clear, beautiful eyes as she watched Harrison and Juliet enter first.
So, the man who had tried to cut in line at the elevator downstairs was Harrison?
Her gaze swept over him before settling on Juliet beside him.
Gentle demeanor, delicate features...
Camilla studied the face she had seen not long ago, her eyes sharpening as realization struck.
Had all the key players in this arranged marriage swap just gathered in one place?
She glanced up at her husband, seeking confirmation.
Sinclair, knowing his wife had already pieced it together, met her gaze with a faint smirk.
A subtle shift crossed Camilla’s expression before she leaned playfully against her husband, ready to enjoy the show.
Now *this* was the kind of drama she loved!
If Fany were here, it would be even better!! What kind of person was Taylor?
As an outsider, Camilla could piece things together—of course, Taylor, being directly involved, understood the situation even more clearly.
Taylor lifted his gaze to Harrison and the other man, the corners of his thin lips curling into a faint, inscrutable smile.
So, the woman who had entered earlier was Juliet—no wonder Sinclair had been speaking with such pointed ambiguity.
The moment Juliet stepped into the private room, her eyes immediately landed on Sinclair.
It was impossible not to notice him—his striking features were almost too perfect, and the aura around him was undeniably commanding, icy and untouchable.
Even from several meters away, the sheer dominance and chill he exuded were palpable.
Sinclair sensed Juliet’s stare and turned his dark, emotionless eyes toward her.
Her lashes fluttered slightly before she hastily averted her gaze.
A second later, she shifted her attention to Taylor.
His face was handsome and refined, his demeanor as gentle and polished as jade.
Even seated, his tall, lean frame was evident—broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs.
Taylor, too, was an exceptionally striking man.
Taylor’s lips curved into a smile, but his eyes remained cool and distant, revealing nothing of his true thoughts.
After sizing up the two men, Juliet finally turned her gaze to Camilla.
The woman’s striking beauty was indeed impossible to ignore.
But in Juliet’s eyes, beauty meant nothing.
She withdrew her assessing look and resumed her quiet, demure stance beside Harrison, the picture of soft-spoken innocence.
Camilla caught every nuance of Juliet’s expression, her crimson lips curling slightly.
Instinct told her this woman wasn’t as fragile as she appeared.
Compared to this, the Second Miss Bernardo she’d met earlier seemed far more agreeable.
Harrison had met Sinclair and Camilla before, yet his gaze lingered on Camilla’s face a beat longer than necessary.
Fortunately, with Juliet by his side, he dared not let it show.
Shifting his attention from the couple, he turned to Taylor.
Before he could speak, Matvey stepped forward to make introductions.
"May I present Mr. Luther of Luther Corporation from San Francisco, his wife Mrs. Luther, and Mr. Taylor of Taylor Group, also from San Francisco."
After the introductions, he nodded toward Sinclair and Taylor.
"And this is Mr. Harrison, CEO of Harrison Group."
With both parties’ identities now revealed, perhaps these influential figures would show some restraint?
After introducing the guests, Matvey wiped the cold sweat from his brow and stepped aside.
immediately ordered his staff to prepare the finest tea and coffee while discreetly sending a message to delay the auction by another fifteen minutes.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that the astronomically priced diamond jewelry he’d been so proud to sell would land him in such hot water.
Of course, the real shocker was that someone from the Harrison family would so blatantly disregard the rules and throw their weight around.
But Matvey kept that thought strictly to himself—voicing it was out of the question.
Wasn’t there only one Taylor Group in all of San Francisco?
As Queen stepped into the room, Matvey’s introduction instantly clicked in her mind.
Her beautiful eyes widened in realization as she turned to look.
This man was the fiancé who’d been switched to her?!